Combined scalper and grader



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. B. MARTIN. COMBINED SGALPER AND GRADBR.

No. 473,425. Patented Apr; 19, 1892.

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(No Model.) 2 Shets-Sheet 2.

(J. B. MARTIN. COMBINED SOALPBR AND GRADBR. No. 473,425. Patented Apr. 19, 1892.

WITNESSES: INVENTOI? ATTORNEY.

Ni'rnn STATES JAMES B. MARTIN, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

COMBINED SCALPER AND GRADER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 473,425, dated April 19, 1892.

Application filed July 6, 1891. Serial No. 398,586. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that I, J AMES B. MARTIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Scalper and Grader; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in machines used forthe gradual-reduction process of making flour, and more particularly the break-scalper patented to me November 12, 1889, No. 415,050; and the object of my invention is to provide such machines with certain new and useful features hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section on the line X X of Fig. 2; Fig. 2, a plan view of the device embodying my invention, having the feed mechanism and cover removed; Fig. 3, a detail of the spring-rolls K, and Fig. 4 a detail showing a portion of each sieve G G.

Like letters and numerals refer to like parts in all the figures.

A is the case of the machine, B the outer sieve-frame journaled near its upper end on the boxes 0 of the driving-shaft C and suspended at its lower end by a cord D, wound upon a drum D.

E is the innersieve-frame suspended within B by springs F, having the sieves G G of differing grades.

W W are sprocket-wheels, S the sprocketchain, and T the brush for cleaning the lower sieve, and U skids to support the brush.

H is a shaft journaled on the outer sieveframe, driven from the shaft 0 by suitable pulleys and belts and provided with multiple cams I I, which cams engage posts J J, attached to the inner sieve-frame E, to vibrate the same, which frame is also provided near its lower end with vertically-flexible springs M, parallel with the upper edges of its sides and normally a short distance therefrom. The free ends of said springs are provided with weights N, which strike against the frame E and jar the same, whichaids to keep the sieves clear and improves their operation. Beneath the lower end of each sieve G and journaled upon the outer frame B are springrolls K K, on which are wound aprons L L. The lower edges of these aprons are attached to the upper edges of the respective partitions or walls of the discharge-fines 9 and 10. These aprons are automatically adjusted by the spring-rolls as the sieve-frames are raised and lowered and serve to cutoif air-currents and direct the stock from the respective sieves to the respective flues.

chamber 3 connect at the bottom with this I conveyor, and the said fines are separated by a flexible apron Y to prevent any downward current of air through flue 2, which is tangential to the separator Q at its upper end to receive the dust, flue 1 being central to the same at its upper end to receive the downward current of air, which, striking the apron Y and inclined side l9 of the conveyer-hopper, is deflected upward into the chamber 3, where it still further parts with the dust, which by the eddy in the air-current (indicated by the upper arrows) is separated therefrom and falls back into the conveyer R. From this chamber 3 the air passes into the pipe 4, which opens into the chamber 5, which cuts said pipe in a vertical plane, said chamber having an upper air-discharge 8 and a bottom dust-discharge 11. Continuing thence said pipe terminates in another chamber 6,

similar to 5, having upper opening 7 and bot tom opening 18. Both upper openings 7 and 8 are at-the side toward the fan 0, and have guard-plates 15 and 16 to keep the stock from entering the chambers 5 and 6 and also to prevent upward currents of air. A series'of openings or slits in a horizontal plane are made in the walls of the lines 9 and 10 to permit the current of air to pass through the descending stock and return to fan Beneath the sieves I provide two hoppers 12 and 14 of suitable size, having suitable bottom openings 12' and 14, and at the apex of the adjacent inclined walls of said hoppers is pivoted the adjustable deflector 17, the upper edge of which may be inclined more or less over either hopper, thus dividing the descending stock at a variable transverse line at pleasure and directing more or less into the respective hoppers. A damper 18 in the pipe 4 serves to check the current and Variably apportion the amount of air escaping from the respective openings 7 and 8.

By the described construction I securea uniform current of air across the entire width of the machine. The air spreads laterally in the chambers 5 and 6 and issues in uniform sheets through the openings 7 and 8. So, also, the dust is elfectually removed from the air, the heavier portions being thrown into the flue 2, the lighter portions beingremoved in the chamber 3, and, finally, still lighter parts falling to the bottom of 5 and 6. So, also, the air is used repeatedly, thus avoiding air-currents and dustin the room in which the machine is located.

What I claim is- 1. In combination with an outer adjustable frame and an inner sieve-frame suspended within the same, cams engagingposts on said inner frame, and springs attached to the inner frame having weights attached, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a sieve-frame vertically adjustable at its lower end and dis charge-flues beneath said lower end, springrolls journaled on said frame, having aprons wound thereon and attached to the walls of said flues, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a'fan and casing having peripheral inlet and outlet, a semi-cylindrical separator, vertical fines connecting at their upper ends to said separator and at their lower ends to a conveyer, a chamber adjacent to said conveyer, and an air-pipe extending from said chamber to a point beneath the sieves and opening into transverse chambers having return discharge-openings, substantially as described.

4:. The combination of inclined sieves, vertical fines beneath the lower ends of the same having horizontal transverse slits, a fan having a case having a peripheral inlet-opening connected to said slits and a peripheral discharge-opening connected to a semi-cylindrical dust-separator, a vertical fine from the periphery of said separator and a vertical flue from the axis of the same, an air-passage connecting the lower ends of said fines with chambers beneath said sieve, having dischargeopenings opposite the inlet-opening of the fan-case, substantially as described.

5. In combination with a fan, a case having peripheral inlet and outlet, a semi-cylindrical dust-separator having a tangential flue and an axial flue parallel to the same, said fines connecting with a conveyer at their hot- 1 tom and separated by an apron, and a chamber connected with the latterflne and the con- 5 veyer, and air-passages leading from said chamber in aclosed circuit beneath the sieves to the said fan-casing,- substantially as described.

G. The combination of asieve-frame adjustable at its lower end, fines beneath the lower end of the same having horizontal slits, springrolls and aprons connecting the walls of said flues and said sieve-frame, a fan and dustseparator at one side of said fines, chambers at the other sideof said flues having air-outlets on their sides toward said fines, and an air-passage from said separator to said chambers, substantially as described.

7. In combination with inclined sieves, vertical fines beneath the lower ends of thesame having lateral air-passages and hoppers beneath said sieves, an air-chamber between said hoppers, said chambers having openings facing the lateral openingsin said flues, a fan, a dust-separator, and an air-pipe from said separator to said airchambers, having a damper between said chambers, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I alfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES B. MARTIN. \Vitnesses:

LUTHER V. MoULtroN, GEORGE W. SHooK. 

